$4 NLHE 6-max: Overpair

Merge - $0.04 NL (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 3

SB: $7.51
BB: $7.83
Hero (UTG): $3.62
MP: $4.00
CO: $6.34
BTN: $4.08

SB posts SB $0.02, BB posts BB $0.04

Pre Flop: ($0.06) Hero has A:heart: A:spade:

Hero raises to $0.12, fold, fold, fold, SB calls $0.10, fold

Flop: ($0.28, 2 players) T:spade: 9:spade: 6:heart:
SB bets $0.16, Hero calls $0.16

Turn: ($0.60, 2 players) 8:spade:
SB bets $0.24, Hero calls $0.24

River: ($1.08, 2 players) T:diamond:
SB bets $1.16, fold


Good Fold against a 58/4

Had to a straight or 10 right?

I don't play micro stakes cash but pretty sure a 58/4 drooler at 4NL shows up with more hands you beat than beat you.

- Raise more pre. 3x UTG at 4NL might as well be minbetting. It didn't happen here but you're inviting a multi-way flop which isn't what you want with your big pp's.
- Why just call the donk bet otf? Donk bets are usually signs of weakness at these stakes, a draw or an attempt to put you off a draw. I don't think TP is usually donking here unless they're just a total spaz, so I don't put them on a T. Come over the top here please.
- You played AA way too passively here. If he didn't have you beat by the river it sure wasn't for lack of you trying to let him.

Raise the flop 100% of the time! There are so many draws out there that can continue to call you, and there are so many scare cards that can hit the turn (like the eight of spades).

I'm thinking so much about this hand and the way it was played. For the most part, I'm going to agree with dmorris68. It's usually hard not to. However, I'm not sure I would have raised any more pre. You don't want to play a multiway pot, but you don't want to give away the strength of your hand either. I would probably just stick to my standard raise which is 3x. So... But you do have to play back at this guy. There is no doubt about that.

Okay, here's my thinking. Let me guess, you've been playing tight/agressive, right? So he's probably got you on something like A-Q, K-Q, maybe A-J, and hopes you missed the flop. He's probably expects you to continue either way if he checks, which would tell him nothing. So he's going to lead out and see if you show strength by coming over the top of him or just flat call. You have to consider the hands that beat you. But you also have to consider what you think he's calling your pre-flop raise with? Do you think he's calling you with 7-8? Don't give him too much credit, not without putting him to the test. I'm asking myself questions like am I ready to lay down A-A here? No? So how much do I think this guy will bet on the turn based on what's going to be in the pot if I make this call? I'm going to take that play away from him by making it that much right now and raising to .34, maybe .40. I'm going to find out right now how serious he is.

Having flat called on the flop, I almost think you've got an even better opportunity to put some pressure on him and find out where he is on the turn. He doesn't seem too confident on the turn, based on his bet size. I'm definitely coming over the top of him here and making it at least .50.

Again, flatting tells us nothing. On top of that, it gives him the confidence to fire out again. But when he does, he overbets the pot. You have to ask yourself why. To me it screams bluff. Maybe he wants it to look that way. Do you think he's that good? Or is it what it looks like? To me it looks like he doesn't want a call.

I guess it is a hard call to make on the river. Any number of draws could have gotten there. He could have just about anything. He could have nothing. There's really no telling, because you did nothing along the way to make him define his hand.

One thing you need to get out of your game, is flat calling especially in the position.
When your at the flop and your not sure if your opponent is infront. Re-raise them is a good way to get information.

**Your opponent looks like he was block betting** By you flat calling your enabling to see the next card *turn and river* cheaply.

**AA is the best hand preflop** On the flop if theres a lot of straight/flush possibilities you need to bet at least 3/4 to pot size... Even oversizing and re-raising. Your defending your hand your opponent hasn't made his hand yet unless he doesn't know how to play 2pair or a set.

IntenseHeat said:

However, I'm not sure I would have raised any more pre. You don't want to play a multiway pot, but you don't want to give away the strength of your hand either. I would probably just stick to my standard raise which is 3x. So... But you do have to play back at this guy. There is no doubt about that.

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To be clear I wasn't recommending he raise more because of his hand. I meant in general, for 2 reasons. First, at these stakes 3x doesn't accomplish what it does at higher levels. It invites multiple callers which you only want if you're playing speculative high implied odds hands, which a solid TAG at these stakes shouldn't be opening a lot of OOP. Second, it's customary in cash games to add an extra bb to very EP opens. Which means here I would be looking to open probably 5x, maybe 6x, from UTG.

So yes it's important to be consistent and not size bets based on hand strength. But here the bet sizing needs to be consistently higher across the board IMO.

dmorris68 said:

To be clear I wasn't recommending he raise more because of his hand. I meant in general, for 2 reasons. First, at these stakes 3x doesn't accomplish what it does at higher levels. It invites multiple callers which you only want if you're playing speculative high implied odds hands, which a solid TAG at these stakes shouldn't be opening a lot of OOP. Second, it's customary in cash games to add an extra bb to very EP opens. Which means here I would be looking to open probably 5x, maybe 6x, from UTG.

So yes it's important to be consistent and not size bets based on hand strength. But here the bet sizing needs to be consistently higher across the board IMO.

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Once again, dmorris, not only is it hard not to agree with you, in this case, it's all but impossible to disagree with you. You are 100% correct. In fact, the point you make about a 3x raise being ineffective at these stakes is one of the reasons why I usually don't play less than 20NL and prefer 50NL cash games.

Well it is a pretty passive player, but plays lots of hands it is a tough decition. I don't think he's got the ten. I think that he floped the straight, or the flush draw, and he believed his hand was strong with the draw. How large is your sample???

Gotta raise the flop, with that board, you get value by raising AA.